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Main Street Vermilion invites you to discover Vermilion's Main Street Historic District - a small town on a great lake. From quaint shops to fine dining, the arts, entertainment and unmatched festivities, Historic Downtown Vermilion, "Harbour Town," truly has it all. Visit our Main Street Community and be reminded of a simpler time when an afternoon at the beach, a hand-dipped ice cream cone and a stroll along Main Street made your day special. Stay for a day, maybe two, and take home a memory that will last forever.
Main Street Vermilion is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to stimulate economic development and preserve the historical character in the downtown commercial and residential district of the City of Vermilion. Through strategic planning, recommendations and projects, Main Street Vermilion has led the way for a revitalized downtown and waterfront.
MSV organizes numerous Annual Community Events, implemented a Downtown Historic Street Lighting program, organized a flower beautification program and has created an Arts Guild to promote area artists and craftsmen. Through professional advertisements, brochures and commercials, MSV promotes Vermilion's historic district on a grand scale.
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Main Street Vermilion
685 Main Street
Vermilion, OH 44089
Phone: 440-963-0772
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MSV CURRENT PROJECTS & EVENTS
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ABOUT MAIN STREET VERMILION
Main Street Vermilion follows the guidelines of the National Main Street Program. The Main Street program is designed to improve all aspects of the downtown or central business district, producing both tangible and intangible benefits. Improving economic management, strengthening public participation, and making downtown a fun place to visit are as critical to Main Street's future as recruiting new businesses, rehabilitating buildings, and expanding parking. Building on downtown's inherent assets -- rich architecture, personal service, and traditional values and most of all, a sense of place -- the Main Street approach has rekindled entrepreneurship, downtown cooperation and civic concern. It has earned national recognition as a practical strategy appropriately scaled to a community's local resources and conditions. And because it is a locally driven program, all initiative stems from local issues and concerns.
The National Trust Main Street Center's experience in helping communities bring their commercial corridors back to life has shown time and time again that the Main Street Four-Point Approach succeeds. That success is guided by the following eight principles, which set the Main Street methodology apart from other redevelopment strategies. For a Main Street program to be successful, it must whole-heartedly embrace the following time-tested Eight Principles.
Comprehensive: No single focus — lavish public improvements, name-brand business recruitment, or endless promotional events — can't revitalize Main Street. For successful, sustainable, long-term revitalization, a comprehensive approach, including activity in each of Main Street's Four Points, is essential.
Incremental: Baby steps come before walking. Successful revitalization programs begin with basic, simple activities that demonstrate that "new things are happening " in the commercial district. As public confidence in the Main Street district grows and participants' understanding of the revitalization process becomes more sophisticated, Main Street is able to tackle increasingly complex problems and more ambitious projects. This incremental change leads to much longer-lasting and dramatic positive change in the Main Street area.
Self-help: No one else will save your Main Street. Local leaders must have the will and desire to mobilize local resources and talent. That means convincing residents and business owners of the rewards they'll reap by investing time and money in Main Street — the heart of their community. Only local leadership can produce long-term success by fostering and demonstrating community involvement and commitment to the revitalization effort.
Partnerships: Both the public and private sectors have a vital interest in the district and must work together to achieve common goals of Main Street's revitalization. Each sector has a role to play and each must understand the other's strengths and limitations in order to forge an effective partnership.
Identifying and capitalizing on existing assets: Business districts must capitalize on the assets that make them unique. Every district has unique qualities like distinctive buildings and human scale that give people a sense of belonging. These local assets must serve as the foundation for all aspects of the revitalization program.
Quality: Emphasize quality in every aspect of the revitalization program. This applies to all elements of the process — from storefront designs to promotional campaigns to educational programs. Shoestring budgets and "cut and paste" efforts reinforce a negative image of the commercial district. Instead, concentrate on quality projects over quantity.
Change: Skeptics turn into believers and attitudes on Main Street will turn around. At first, almost no one believes Main Street can really turn around. Changes in attitude and practice are slow but definite — public support for change will build as the Main Street program grows and consistently meets its goals. Change also means engaging in better business practices, altering ways of thinking, and improving the physical appearance of the commercial district. A carefully planned Main Street program will help shift public perceptions and practices to support and sustain the revitalization process.
Implementation: To succeed, Main Street must show visible results that can only come from completing projects. Frequent, visible changes are a reminder that the revitalization effort is under way and succeeding. Small projects at the beginning of the program pave the way for larger ones as the revitalization effort matures, and that constant revitalization activity creates confidence in the Main Street program and ever-greater levels of participation.
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THE FOUR POINT APPROACH
The Main Street Program follows a Four Point approach. The four point methodology works to create a total image for the community: Providing the retail/professional area with its necessary market niche, creating a cohesive visual identity unique to the community, and nurturing a cultural ambiance associated with the community's location, appearance, and way of life. The Main Street Approach gradually builds on existing resources and fosters improved community leadership and support on behalf of the Central Business District for the long term.
- PROMOTION: The Promotion Committee specializes in promoting, advertising, and hosting special events that market the unique characteristics of our Harbour Town 1837 Historic District. The Promotion Committee also maintains and accumulates market data and input regarding the types of promotion thatcreate a positive image for our merchant community and residents living in the Historic District.
- DESIGN: The Design Committee focuses on improving our Historic District’s image by enhancing the residential and commercial physical appearance (i.e. design, streetscape, and signage) and through other items that convey a message about what our Historic District has to offer. The Harbour Town 1837 Historic District has been in place for over 30 years, and the Design Committee works with building owners and renters, along with the Historic Vermilion Design & Review Board, to maintain authenticity to form and function with attention to quality and detail.
- ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING: The Economic Restructuring Committee scrutinizes the financial aspects of our Historic District and works to strengthenand diversify the Historic Downtown economic base through new business recruitment, business retention and expansion, current real estate trends, and development of economic incentives with our local banks and financial institutions.
- ORGANIZATION: The Organization Committee recruits volunteers into Main Street Vermilion, Inc. and is charged with building consensus and corporation among the groups that play a role in the Harbour Town 1837 Historic District. This Committee also plans fundraising for special projects, prepares public seminars to talk about the organization and its goals, and creates essential partnershipswith other local organizations to maintain a healthy “work together” approach to our Historic Downtown.
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WHY MAIN STREET IS IMPORTANT
Can malls and discount centers take the place of traditional commercial districts? The answer is a resounding "no." It may no longer be the sole option in the community, but the commercial district is much more than a shopping center. Here are some reasons why Main Street is still important:
- Commercial districts are prominent employment centers. Even the smallest commercial district employs hundreds of people, and often the district is collectively the community's largest employer.
- The commercial district is a reflection of community image, pride, prosperity, and level of investment — critical factors in business retention and recruitment efforts.
- Main Street represents a significant portion of the community's tax base. If the district declines, property values drop, placing more of a tax burden on other parts of town.
- The traditional commercial district is an ideal location for independent businesses, which in turn:
-Keep profits in town. Chain businesses send profits out of town -Support other local businesses and services -Supports local families with family-owned businesses -Supports local community projects, like teams and schools -Provide an extremely stable economic foundation, as opposed to a few large businesses and chains with no ties to stay in the community - Main Street is the historic core of the community. Its buildings embody the community's past and its visual identity.
- A historic commercial district is often a major tourist attraction. When people travel or shop, they want to see unique places — especially ones that offer a unique shopping "experience."
- A vital Main Street area reduces sprawl by concentrating retail in one area and uses community resources wisely, such as infrastructure, tax dollars, and land.
- A healthy Main Street core protects property values in surrounding residential neighborhoods.
- The commercial district offers convenience. Main Streets are often within walking distance of residential areas, providing easy accessibility for the community and reducing the reliance on auto-dependent shopping.
- The district is usually a government center where city hall, municipal buildings, the courthouse, and/or post office are located. It often is an important service center as well for finding attorneys, physicians, insurance offices, and financial institutions.
- Main Street provides an important civic forum, where members of the community can congregate. Parades, special events, and celebrations held there reinforce intangible sense of community. Private developments like malls and strip centers can and do restrict free speech and access.
- The commercial district represents a huge public and private investment. Imagine how much it would cost to re-create all of the buildings and public infrastructure in your commercial district.
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WHY REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN?
Our downtown is the most visible indicator of community pride, along with its economic and social health. It is either an asset or a liability in the effort to recruit new residents, new businesses and industries, retirees, tourists, and others to our community and to keep those we already have.
Quality of life is what separates successful cities and towns from declining communities in the new millennium.
Our downtown is the visual representation for our community's heritage. The architecture of our commercial district is a physical expression of our community's history. The Main Street approach encourages forward-thinking economic development in an historic preservation context so this community asset and legacy can be passed on to future generations.
Who Benefits from a Revitalized Commercial District?
Residents
- Local accessibility to goods and services
- Opportunities for volunteerism and leadership development
- Preservation of community for future generations
- More employment opportunities
- Stronger tax base to support other community aspects (schools, parks, etc.)
Schools
- Youth involvement in civic projects
- Use of commercial district as "classroom" for school projects
- Potential employment and business opportunities
- More places to go and activities for youths
Merchants
- Greater opportunity for growth and expansion
- Expanded customer base
- Less financial risk
Businesses Outside the Downtown District
- Increased visitor traffic to the community
- Improved municipal services throughout community
- Increased business from overall healthier economy
- Additional amenities for employees and clients
- Improved quality of life makes recruiting and retaining employees easier
Local Government
- Increased sales and property tax base
- Protection of property values and infrastructure investment
- Reduced cost of services, such as police and fire protection
- Reduced pressure for sprawl development
Chamber of Commerce
- Potential new member businesses
- Healthier overall business climate
- Potential partnerships on joint projects
Property Owners
- Stable or higher rents
- Increased occupancy rates
- Improved marketability of property
- Higher property values
Financial Institutions
- Expanded business customer base
- Expanded residential customer base
- Improved public image and goodwill
- Fulfillment of community reinvestment mandate
Professionals and Service Businesses
- Ready-made customer base of district employees
- Location near government, banks, post office, and other institutions
- Nearby amenities for clients and staff
Community Partners (CDCs, BIDs, civic clubs, historical societies, historic preservation organizations, religious institutions, senior citizens, arts groups, etc.)
- Improved quality of life in the community
- New membership potential among new residents
- Achievement of common goals
- Preservation of community history
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VERMILION EVENTS BROCHURE
Each year Main Street Vermilion actively engages local businesses in the promotion of the area and its events through the planning of its popular Calendar of Events brochure. This exciting, annual publication promotes Vermilion on a grand scale in a colorful, compact handout.
Feedback from local businesses and oganizations helps to make it Vermilion's most popular tourist guide. Thousands of brochures are distributed throughout the region to tourism information centers in Erie County, Lorain County, Ohio tourist locations, the Chamber of Commerce, area businesses and tourists events.
MSV also advertises Vermilion in Lake Erie Shores & Islands, with an impressive distribution of over 500,000 catalogs.
MainStreetVermilion.com
